ISLAMABAD: While expressing satisfaction over the pace of work on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, Ambassador of China to Pakistan Yao Jing said on Friday that the second phase of China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) will be finalized in the coming month after which 90pc of Pakistani exports, including agricultural products and seafood, will attract zero per cent duty.
Yao Jing said that the market access will increase Pakistan’s exports by $500 million which will reduce the disparity between the bilateral trade volume.
Talking to a delegation of Islamabad Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IWCCI), led by its President Samina Fazil, he said that China has planned to invest more in sectors like education, health, agriculture, irrigation, human resource development and poverty alleviation etc.
The envoy appreciated the suggestions forwarded by IWCCI to boost bilateral trade, saying that he would try to establish a close liaison between womens’ associations of China with women entrepreneurs of Pakistan.
He said that Chinese businesswomen would be invited to participate in the fifth Islamabad Expo, scheduled to be held in November, while the Pakistani women entrepreneurs would also be sent to China for the same.
“Chinese are buying handicrafts from Balochistan and a high powered Chinese textile delegation is due shortly in Pakistan to explore vistas of further cooperation in this regard,” he added.
